B"H
Thursday, Adar 27, 5785 / March 27, 2025
The holiday of Pesach will begin Saturday night, April 12th.Due to the fact that this year the day before Pesach is on Shabbat, we do things differently this year than in other years when the day before Pesach is on a weekday.
In a regular year we search for the Chametz with a candle or flashlight on the night before the Seder and burn it the next day. However, this year, because the night before the seder is Friday night (Shabbat) when handling fire or electronics is prohibited, we search for the Chametz on Thursday night and burn it on Friday morning.
Also, the fast of the first-born, which is usually on the day before Pesach, is moved up from Friday to Thursday. In order for the first born not to have to fast, we attend a “Sium.” A Sium is when someone finishes learning a tractate of the Talmud. One who is a first-born, should attend a Sium in shul on Thursday morning, April 10.
Q.Why is Chametz on Pesach different than all other non-kosher products. Other non-kosher products which are forbidden to eat, one can still own them, while Chametz we have to get rid of before Pesach by burning, destroying or selling to a non-Jew?
A.All other non-kosher products are non-kosher ALL year long, thus a person remembers to be careful not to eat them. Chametz is kosher all year long but is only forbidden on the seven days of Pesach in Israel, or eight days in the Diaspora. Our sages were concerned that if one is in possession of Chametz during the Pesach holiday, they may forget and eat it on Pesach, just as they eat it all year long. Therefore they decreed that we must get rid of it and make sure it’s not in our possession and out of sight.
Q.What is the reason for the fast of the first-born before Pesach?
A. This is in commemoration of the great miracle that when G-d killed every first-born Egyptian, all first-born Jews were spared the plague.
Q. What is the significance of the threematzot on the Seder Plate?
A.1) They represent the three categories of the Jewish people: Kohen, Levi and Yisrael.
2) They also represent the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Q. Why do many prefer to use roundmatzot for the Seder Plate?
A. The Torah refers to the Matzot as, “Ugot Matzot” – “Ugah” is a description of something that is round. Thus, many will use round matzot for the Seder plate.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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